Improvement in desulphurizing ores



1.v A. HITCHINGS.

Desulphurizing Gre.

No. 58,100. Patented sept. l18, 1866.

ICE.

JOHN A. HITCHINGS, OF DENVER-CITY, COLORADO.

IMPROVEMENT IN DESULPHURIZING ORES.

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, JOHN A.H1ronnves,

of Denver City, in the county of Arapahoe and Territory of Colorado, have made new and useful Improvements in Smelting Furnaces and Crucibles; and I do hereby declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description of the nature, construction, and operation of the same, sufticient to enable one skilled in the art to which it appert-ains to construct and use the same, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawings, which are made part of 'this specification, and in Which- Figure lis a central vertical section through the smelting-furnacc, and Fig. 2 is a central vertical section-through the crucible.4 and furnace.

The invention consists in the arrangement of the smelting-furnace, which consists of a suspended vessel provided with a dischargepipe for the molten metal and a channel for the removal of the slag; second, in the crucible for roasting the tailings with quicksilver, the lid being suspended by a chain from a pulley, to admit of changing and Withdrawal ot the charge.

In Fig. l the smelting-furnace desi gned for the fluxing process is a circular stone structure, A A, lined with tire-proof brick or gneiss, and with a dome-top, B, and valve-chimney C. It has a door, I), near the bottom for fuel, E being the grate-bars, which rest upon acircular rim, F.

G is a blast-pipe, and H the crucible, which is charged from a door, I, in the dome-covering B.

The crucible may be made of boiler-iron and be of a conical shape, and, it' of large nsize, is to be provided with one or two iiues throughout its length. It is to be placed vertcally inthe center of the furnace, with but a few inches of space around its rim orlarger part. Its top has half-section iron covers J J hinged to the rim.

A vessel, K, to contain hot water, is placed above the crucible, With-a faucet, L, by which Water is drawn into the crucible to detach slug from its sides, as occasion may require.

rlhe crucible has an opening, M, on one side near its bottom, with curved doors N to tit, opening outwardly into the truck or passage O, which, passing through the furnacewalls, affords the means for discharge of the refuse of the charges introduced into the crucible.

A curved iron pipe, P, of an inch or tivo in diameter, screwed into or riveted to the bottom of the crucible, passes out through the furnace-Walls, and serves to draW'off the.

melted ores when sufficiently refined, to be thrown into cold Water or cast in molds. rIhe inner opening of the pipe-is protected from stoppage by a curved iron plate, Q, scalloped round the edge covering the yopening in the roller of the crucible and supported by proper bearings. The pipe P is to be closed by a clay plug exernally.

The object of the improvement is the treatment of auriferous and argentiferous ores, which contain sulphurets, tc., for the pur pose of removing the sulphur, arsenic, and mineral oils contained therein, aiter which they maybe permeated by the vapor of quicksilver approl'iriately introduced. The addition' ot bicarbonate of soda to the extent of one-twentieth of the Weight of the material hastens and perfects the process.

The result is treated in an arrastra, and the amalgam retorted, except the button of metal from the crucible, which is broken up and smelted.

The tight chimney and dome carry off the poisonous gases, and the covers of the crucible should lit closely, but not tightly. They maybe Weighted, but not attached.

rlhe crucible may be arranged, as in Fig. 2, with a lid suspended by a chain and tackle for convenience ot manipulation.

Having described myinvention, what I claim therein as new, and desire to secure by Letters v JOHN A. HITOHINGS.

Witnesses:

B. HoBBs. J. M. GALLEMORE. 

